BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology & Criminal Justice

100% of our BSc (Hons) Psychology with Criminology & Criminal Justice students graduates are in employment or further study six months after graduating Graduate Destination Survey 2016

Are you fascinated by the inner workings of the human mind and how this affects criminal behaviour? By studying Psychology in combination with Criminology, you’ll have the opportunity to explore why people break laws and how society deals with offenders.

Your Psychology with Criminology degree will comprise two-thirds psychology, with the other third in criminology. By studying two complementary subjects together, you’ll enhance your knowledge and skills to access a broader range of exciting career options.

The Psychology with Criminology degree is recognised by the British Psychological Society (BPS) for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, which is the first step towards becoming a Chartered Psychologist. You’ll also be eligible to apply for specialist professional training, provided you achieve 2:2 Honours or higher, thus further expanding your knowledge of this fascinating field and enhancing your employability.

The first two years of your Psychology with Criminology degree will be focused on coverage of psychology core areas as required by the British Psychological Society for accreditation.

You will take 80 credits of compulsory psychology modules in each of your first and second years as well as 40 credits in criminology. In your final year, you will take a compulsory 40 credit dissertation plus a 20 credit specified psychology module and a 20 credit specified criminology module alongside two optional modules, one in psychology and one in criminology.

Year One: Psychology with Criminology Degree

Investigating Methods and Evidence in Psychology - 40 credits

Perspectives in Psychology - 20 credits

Critical Readings in Psychology - 20 credits

Understanding Criminal Justice - 20 credits

Understanding Crime, Victims and Society - 20 credits

Year Two: Psychology with Criminology Degree

Using Methods in Psychology - 20 credits

Professional Practice and Employability - 20 credits

From Cells to Consciousness - 20 credits

Lifespan Development and the Social Context - 20 credits

Policing - 20 credits

Penology: Prisons, Punishment and the Offender - 20 credits

Year Three: Psychology with Criminology Degree

Advanced Research Methods: Dissertation - 40 credits

Forensic Psychology - 20 credits

Critical Issues in Criminal Investigations - 20 credits

Plus one option from the psychology options below:

Health Psychology Across the Lifespan - 20 credits

Psychological Disorders and Therapeutic Interventions - 20 credits

Forensic Psychology - 20 credits

Applications of Social Psychology - 20 credits

Cognitive Neuropsychology and Neuroscience - 20 credits

The Psychology of Education and Work - 20 credits

And one option from the list of criminology options below:

Terrorism, Security and the War on Terror - 20 credits

Understanding Homicide - 20 credits

Contemporary issues in Youth Crime - 20 credits

Teaching

The Psychology with Criminology degree is delivered through lectures, seminars, workshops, individual/small group supervision and independent study. You will also have the opportunity to attend guest lectures given by academic staff from other institutions and professional psychologists who work in different areas of practise.

You will also be given the opportunity to learn about psychology in new ways and no two modules are entirely the same in terms of delivery and assessment. You will complete coursework including essays, practical reports, oral presentations and case studies. There will also be some examination assessments (seen and unseen) and in-class tests.

Assessment

You will complete a range of different class activities including group discussions, debates, case studies and in-class projects. In fact one of the most exciting things about this course is that you experience a great range of delivery and assessment methods.

Accreditations

The British Psychological Society (BPS) has accredited this Psychology with Criminology course, which gives you eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership with the Society when you graduate. Registration will open the way for postgraduate professional training in areas such as clinical, educational, health and occupational psychology, as you progress to become a chartered psychologist.

Placements

Psychology Plus aims to enhance your skills and give you an advantage in the graduate jobs market or applications for further study. You’ll have the opportunity to gain clinical experience at one of our two on campus clinics, our behaviour clinic, and complete specialist short courses, professional certificates and work placements – altogether a great boost to your CV.

We have two on campus clinics, The Dyscovery Centre which offers assessment and treatment in the area of Developmental Disorders including Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Our Behaviour Analysis Clinic specialises in treating the behavioural challenges associated with a wide range of disorders, including autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, and conduct disorder.

Every student is guaranteed, if they want it during their undergraduate studies, a six-week placement in our Behaviour Analysis Clinic based at the Treforest Campus. This clinic offers applied behaviour analytic intervention for children five and under typically with a diagnosis of autism. The clinic is largely run by student volunteers under the supervision of a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst.

Facilities

Facilities include observation and interview rooms equipped with a two-way mirror, CCTV and audio, which allows research and interview practice sessions to be conducted and recorded. We also have a custom-built air conditioned PC laboratory which provides access to specialist software for running psychology experiments and conducting careers guidance interviews.

The Cognitive Neuropsychology Suite houses specialist psychology equipment such as eye tracking equipment, EEG (electroencephalogram) and ECG (electrocardiogram) facilities for recording electrical activity in the heart and scalp and a driving simulator.

The University offers a wide range of psychological services to the general public through our psychology clinics which include autism, behaviour analysis, health and sport psychology interventions.

Lecturers

The entry criteria below shows the qualification range within which the University will make offers. Most offers we make are at the top of the range, but we take all aspects of an application into consideration and applicants receive a personalised offer. Combinations of qualifications are acceptable and other qualifications not listed here may also be acceptable.

Typical BTEC Offer

Typical IB Offer

Pass the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a minimum score of 29 overall including 5 or above in English at standard level

Typical Access to HE Offer

Pass the Access to HE Diploma with a minimum of 80 UCAS tariff points

Additional Requirements

GCSEs: The University normally requires a minimum 5 GCSEs including Mathematics/Numeracy and English at Grade C or Grade 4 or above, or their equivalent, but consideration is given to individual circumstances.

International Entry Requirements

We also welcome international applications with equivalent qualifications. Please visit the country specific pages on our international website for exact details.

English Requirements

In general, international applicants will need to have achieved an overall IELTS grade of 6.0 with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component.

However, if you have previously studied through the medium of English IELTS might not be required, but please visit the country specific page on our international website for exact details. If your country is not featured please contact us.

Full-time fees are per year. Part-time fees are per 20 credits. Once enrolled, the fee will remain at the same rate throughout the duration of your study on this course.

August
2020
- July
2021
Fees

Full-time UK and EU:
£9000

Full-time International:
£13500

Part-time UK and EU:
£680
per 20 credits

August
2021
- July
2022
Fees

Full-time UK and EU: TBC

Full-time International: TBC

Part-time UK and EU: TBC

Additional Costs

Students have access to a wide range of resources including textbooks, publications, and computers in the University’s library and via online resources. In most cases they are more than sufficient to complete a course of study. Where there are additional costs, either obligatory or optional, these are detailed below. Of course students may choose to purchase their own additional personal resources/tools over and above those listed to support their studies at their own expense. All stationery and printing costs are at a student’s own expense.

*
Obligatory

Item

Cost

DBS (Optional)

£47.20

A DBS is not obligatory for the course. It will only be required if a specific placement of dissertation project working with children or vulnerable groups is required. This fee includes £40 for the enhanced DBS certificate, the Post Office Administration fee and the online administration fee.

DBS Updating Service

£13

Whilst optional it is strongly recommended signing up for this service especially if you are likely to have placements each year and wish to pursue a career post University where a DBS check is a requirement. Please note the service has to be joined within 19 days of receipt of your enhanced DBS certificate.

UK and EU students

Apply via UCAS if you are a UK/EU residing applicant, applying for year one of a full-time undergraduate degree, Foundation Year, Foundation Degree or HND and you have not applied through UCAS before. If you are applying to study part-time, to top up your Foundation Degree or HND, or to transfer to USW from another institution, please apply directly.

International students

Through studying psychology with criminology, you will develop a range of transferable skills that are highly sought-after by employers. These include analytical and communication skills, problem solving and report-writing skills and the ability to apply key concepts.

Some graduates successfully complete professional training or postgraduate study, others establish careers in social work, the police, criminal justice agencies, as well as protection and victim support services. Other professional careers, such as marketing, journalism and human resources would benefit from the transferable skills you acquire during your psychology with criminology degree.

Employability and career development is built into this course alongside more traditional academic study and we work closely with employers to ensure the skills and knowledge of our graduates meet the demanding requirements of today’s workplace. We invite guest speakers from a range of professions, such as the various branches of psychology, youth service and the police to come to talk to our students and offer them the opportunity to learn not only about ‘hands on’ practical concerns but also about potential careers.

Our Careers and Employability Service

This includes: one-to-one appointments from faculty based Career Advisers, in person, over the phone or even on Skype and through email via the "Ask a Question" service. We also have extensive online resources for help with considering your career options and presenting yourself well to employers. Resources include psychometric tests, career assessments, a CV builder, interview simulator and application help. Our employer database has over 2,000 registered employers targeting USW students, you can receive weekly email alerts for jobs.

Our Careers service has dedicated teams: A central work experience team to help you find relevant placements; an employability development team which includes an employability programme called Grad Edge; and an Enterprise team focused on new business ideas and entrepreneurship.

Highlight Stories

Part-time

Full-time

The Pontypridd Campus is made up of two sites: Treforest and Glyntaff. Our students love the community atmosphere, as well as living and studying in the same place. It’s quieter than the cities, with green open spaces and views across the valley.